USA > Massachusetts > Franklin County > Greenfield > History of Greenfield : shire town of Franklin county, Massachusetts, Vol. I > Part 8
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73
THE END OF KING WILLIAM'S WAR
1697]
memorates his name. He was the last victim to be sacrificed in King William's war.
During the ten years of King William's war, New England had suffered terribly, losing several hundred lives, and many captives had been taken to Canada. Maine and the eastern provinces suffered much more than the Massachusetts frontiers. The expense to the Colony was upwards of five hundred thou- sand dollars.
Great labor and expense were entailed upon the settlers in the construction and maintenance of the meadow fence, and the subject was the cause of much local legislation. A fence with suitable gates was maintained from the point of rocks op- posite Cheapside, along the west side of the east mountain, making a loop around the village and taking in Wapping, thence across to the " Bars " (the location of bars here giving the hamlet its name), thence on to Stillwater. Afterwards the meadows at Cheapside were included, and finally the meadows upon the Green river, the south meadow gate being just south of the abandoned abutments of the old Troy and Greenfield Railroad, below the Wiley & Russell works, and the west gate near the west end of Main street in Greenfield village. The first action regarding the care of the meadow lands was taken April 4, 1692 : “ Whereas ye Selectmen have taken great care and paynes yt all defects in ye common fence be repayered for the preservation of ye meadows, now ye Town does hereby order yt all common fence yt shall be found defective after ye IIth day of this instant : ye own' of sd fence shall pay as a fine to ye use of ye Town one shilling pr rod for one day & so forward every day till such defective fence shall be re- payered.
" That all cattle baited upon other men's land without leave shall be liable to be pounded.
"That any persons baiting cows or young cattle upon ye meadows shall pe liable to be pounded tho there be a keepr with ym
74
DEERFIELD MILLS
[1699
" That all hoggs shall be rung according to law; the hogg ringers shall have 6d pr head for every hogg ya ring.
" That all horses and cattle found in ye meadow are liable to pay 12d pr head ; and hogs 6d pr head & sheep 4ª pr head.
" That ye penalty for leaving creatures in the meadows wil- fully shall be 3ª pr head.
" That pounding creatures shall be present pay."
A sawmill had been set up on Mill river as early as 1689, but until this time lumber had been sawed with whip saws, by hand, about one hundred feet being a day's work for two men. All the family grain was pounded in a mortar, or taken to the mill at Hatfield, where it could be ground, but not bolted,-that was left for the hand sieve. Joseph Par- sons seems to have been the pioneer miller, having under- taken to build a grain mill, " where the sawmill now stands," early in 1690; but by action of the town in 1699, this mill appears to have been destroyed, as they chose a committee to consider " a place or places for to erect a mill " as " they were in great want of a mill to grind their Corn." Within a month Mr. Parsons asked of the Proprietors " liberty to set a corn mill on Green River. Being considered, it was granted for ye space of a twelve month." This mill, if built, did not give satisfaction, as, March II, 1700-I, it was voted "that a commity be chosen to discourse with Mr. Joseph Parsons concerning the Corn mill built by him in Deerfield whether he will stand by his Bargain, either to maintain sd mill in good Repair fit to doe ye town's grinding or throw it up into ye town's hands."
Godfrey Nims, Sergeant Allyn and Corporal Thomas Wells, a committee of the town to lay out roads, reported : " As to ye hie way to ye Green River lands we turn out of ye Country Road which is Easterly of the Green River Town plot, and to run nearupon a west line throw ye middle of sª Town plot down to ye River, and Runs over ye River into Peter Evans his lot : then it comes to ye North side of and so in Joseph Petty his
75
JOHN PYNCHON DIES
1702, 1703]
lot and across his lot untill it comes to ye North side of and so in Joseph Petty's lot until it comes up ye great hill westerly and then it Runs in Benony Moors lot until it comes to the foot path and it runs in ye foot path to the upper end of Green River lands : the breadth to be one Rod and a half except in the part of it from the Country Road down to and so thorow ye Town plot aforesd."
The " Country Road " is our High street which then wound up the hill and ran just east of C. P. Russell's house, and was the highway from Deerfield to Northfield. The "Town Plot" was our present Main street. "Ye foot path " was a great Indian trail leaving the Connecticut just below Fort Dummer and leading across the mountains, coming down upon Green river bottom just east of the Williams' monument, and, cross- ing the river, kept on through the meadows to the Deerfield, crossing that river near the " Red Rocks." The upper Plain Road in Greenfield is substantially the line of the footpath through the meadows, and Munson street, the path across Petty's plain.
By a new charter, the colonies of Massachusetts, Plymouth and Maine were consolidated under the name of the " Pro- vince of Massachusetts Bay." The tyrannical and despotic government of Andros had given place to that of Lord Bela- mont, with Joseph Dudley in power. Dudley had succeeded in largely gaining the good will and respect of the people.
January 7, 1702-3, the river settlements met a great loss by the death of John Pynchon, who had long been the civil and for some time the military leader of the people. He was succeeded by Col. Samuel Partrigg (or Partridge), of Hatfield.
Deerfield voted, March 7, 1698, " that a School house be built upon ye Town Charge in ye year 1698 ye dimensions of sd house to be 21 foot long eighteen foot wide and seven foot betwyxt joynts."
In 1703 the school committee " bargained with Jno. Rich- ards to pay him for ye teaching of their Town children for ye
76
THE GENERAL OUTLOOK
[1700
year Twenty and five pound in manner following ; yt is to say They have by Bargain liberty to pay him ye one 3ª part of sd sum in Barley and no more; ye other two 3ds in other grain yt is to say in indian corn : peas : or Rye in any or all of them : oats wholly excepted : all these aforementioned to be good and merchantable." This year the town rates were paid in wheat and Indian corn in equal parts. In 1694 it had been paid " one half in Indian corn at 2s a bushell & one half in fatted pork at 2 pence half penny a pound." In 1695 the people there were so poor that " Green River lands were made rate free."
The opening of the eighteenth century found our frontier settlers comfortably housed in their one-story log cabins, and though of small dimensions, they were cool in summer and warm in winter. As time and means permitted, larger and more commodious houses were erected in order to accommo- date the rapidly increasing families. In one end of the living room in one of the better class of houses, there is a great stone fireplace, around which at night gather the whole family, the choice places being reserved for the elders of the home circle. During the day the great hearthstone is occupied by the busy housewife in the superintendence of her culinary operations. On the crane hanging over the glowing fire hangs the big three-legged pot in which bubbles and puffs the " hasty pudding " which forms in every family a large portion of the frugal meal.
The andirons, the crane, the big back-log, the smaller fore- log, the crane hooks, the tin oven, and the Dutch oven on the hearth, have been written and sung about from that day to this, until every one is familiar with their appearance and their several uses :
" The whitewashed wall, the nicely sanded floor, The varnished clock that ticked behind the door, The chest contrived a double debt to pay, A bed by night, a chest of drawers by day."
But the humble men and women who gathered around those
77
HABITS AND CONDITIONS OF SETTLERS
1700]
lowly hearthstones were of the finer material of earth-of such as is used for the making of heroes. Few of them were of noble birth, not many were great in the estimation of the world, but it is none the less true that
' God sifted a whole nation that he might send choice grain into the wilderness."
These people were possessed of a great desire for the pos- session of land ; they were imbued with the spirit and under- standing of the great power and nobleness attending the possession of free soil. Their souls were strongly endowed with the religious instinct, and, with a spirit of adventure, they pressed forward to this, the remotest frontier, and boldly faced the wilderness filled with unknown hordes of bloody savages, who were ready at the bidding of their French masters to carry on their develish work of murder and rapine.
Always impressed with the sense of constant danger, their lives were sedate and solemn ; attendance at meeting was com- pelled both by public sentiment and the law ; frivolity of con- duct and extravagance in dress were prohibited ; of books they had but the one, which was all-sufficient, as the Bible was their constant study. They searched their hearts to root out any besetting sin, that the Lord might ward off punishment, as they accounted every great calamity the direct result of sin among the people. The emigrants came primarily to enjoy religious freedom, but they were also determined that every man should have some voice in the management of public affairs. They were required by the terms of their charters " to procure an able and orthodox minister amongst them," and " to build a meeting house within three years," but it was not only their duty but their pleasure to comply. Their customs and their formal rules of duty seem to us severe and rigid ; most assuredly the " times have altered."
Dancing at weddings was forbidden by act of Plymouth Colony in 1651. In 1660 "one William Walker was im- prisoned a month for courting a maid without leave of her
78
CHARACTERISTICS OF THE PEOPLE
[1700
parents." In 1677 an act was passed " to prevent the pro- faneness of turning the back upon the public worship before it was finished and the blessing pronounced."
Palfrey says, " In the early days of New England, wheaten bread was not so common as it afterwards became; but its place was largely supplied by preparations of Indian corn. A mixture of two parts of meal of this grain with one part of rye continued until far into the past century to furnish the bread used by the great body of the people. In the begin- ning there was but a sparing consumption of "butchers' meat." The multiplication of flocks for their wool, and of herds for draught and for milk, was an important care, and they generally bore a high money value. Game and fish, to a considerable extent, supplied the want of animal food. Next to these, swine and poultry-fowls, ducks, geese and turkey were in common use, earlier than other kinds of flesh meat. The New Englander of the present time, who in what- ever rank in life, would be at a loss without his tea or coffee twice at least every day, pities the hardships of his ancestors, who almost universally for a century and a half, made their morning and evening meal on boiled Indian meal and milk, or on porridge, or broth made of peas or beans and flavored by being boiled with beef or pork. Beer was, however, brewed in families, and was accounted a necessity of life ; and orchards soon yielded a bountiful provision of cider ; wine and rum found a ready market as soon as they were brought from abroad ; and tobacco and legislation had a long conflict, in which the latter at last gave way."
These pioneers in the exploration and settlement of the unknown wilderness of the west, were men of uncommon abilities, and they wisely applied their good common sense to the untried problems arising from their situation. They ex- hibited great sagacity in building up society based upon the eternal principles of justice and equality, and impressed upon their progeny the principles of moral responsibility, honor and
79
FOUNDATIONS LAID
1700]
honesty. They came to a country pure, clean and fresh from the hand of the Lord, where they ran no risk of imbibing the evil habits of a conquered people ; and they had every oppor- tunity of building up a civilization as pure and clean as was the virgin land of which they had become possessed ; and well they performed the mission committed to their trust. They had their faults, but they were not of such a nature as to weaken and undermine the fixed order of things, but rather worked to the upbuilding of a community based upon true Christian civilization.
CHAPTER X
QUEEN ANNE'S WAR
" Grieved at the past, yet more we fear The horrors of the coming year."
P EACE between England and France was concluded at Ryswick, September 20, 1697. The ending of King William's war gave the weary settlers of the valley but short respite from their troubles, and they had but little time to recruit from their exhausted condition, as Queen Anne declared war against France, May. 4, 1702. Deerfield was the northern frontier town, and her citizens took early action toward putting themselves in a condition of defense. Rev. John Williams in a letter to Governor Dudley, says : "The fortification can be mended no longer ; we must make it all new, and fetch the timber for 206 rods; 3 or 4 miles, if we get oak. We have been driven from our houses into the fort, and there are only ten home lots in it, and we have been so crowded together that indoor affairs are carried on with difficulty." Upon the declaration of peace some of the settlers had removed from the fort, " some a mile and some two miles away;" now they were again gathered into the palisades. Two Frenchmen who had been living at Deerfield some time, whom the people thought might be spies, were taken to Boston. In June, 1703, Governor Dudley held a solemn treaty of peace with the Eastern Indians at Casco, the Indians declaring " that as high as the sun was above the earth, so far distant shall their design be of making the least breach between each other." Within six weeks five hundred French and Indians had arrived from Canada among them,
80
81
DEERFIELD WARNED
1703]
and August 10, 1703, by concerted action, every town upon the Maine coast was surprised.
No person who ventured outside the palisaded posts with- out a guard was safe, for Indian spies were stationed upon every commanding eminence. October 8, 1703, two young men from Deerfield fell into the hands of the lurking foe, and the event is recorded by Stephen Williams (son of the Rever- end John Williams), as follows : " Zebediah Williams (28) & John Nims (24) went into ye meadow in ye evening to look after creatures, & were ambushed by indians in ye ditch beyond Frary's bridge, who fird at ym, but missd y™, and took W. quick, & N. run to ye pond, & then returnd to y™ (fearing to be shot). ye Indians wound cattle and went off. Ye men were carried to Canada, where W. dyd, & N. ran away in ye year 1705, with joseph petty, Thos. Baker and Martin Kellogue. My father escaped narrowly ye nt before, at Broughtons hill." John Nims was the progenitor of the Greenfield Nims family, and Zebediah Williams was his half brother.
Deerfield had been warned from Albany, that Mohawk spies just returned from Canada, reported that an expedition was being fitted out to attack the town. A small garrison was sustained at Deerfield during the winter of 1703-4* but, as time passed, the warning from Albany had lost its fresh- ness, and both the people and the soldiers had become care- less, relying upon the unusual depth of snow and the severe winter weather, to protect them from their Canadian foes. If all others were quiescent, the Reverend Mr. Williams had a feeling of alarm, and urged upon his people increased vigi- lance. He appointed a day of fasting and prayer, on which
* Old style and new style.
By act of parliament in 1752 eleven days were dropped out of the month of September, and the days were numbered as follows : Tuesday, September 1 ; Wednes- day, September 2; Thursday, September 14; Friday, September 15. Among most English speaking people the new year commenced March 25, previous to the year 1752 ; but in many communities it began January 1. These different ways of computing time caused the use of double figure for dates happening between January I, and March 25, being written 172g or 1734-5.
6
82
DEERFIELD MASSACRE
[1703, 1704
occasion he preached to his people from Gen. xxxii. 10, II, a part of which reads, " Deliver me, I pray Thee, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau; for I fear him, lest he will come and smite me, and the mother with the children."
" From fire and brand and hostile hand God save our Town."
-Old Watchman'e Cry.
So many of the first settlers of Greenfield were descendants of the families who so severely suffered at the time of the Deerfield massacre that I feel it is necessary that an extended statement concerning it should be included in this volume ; but the reader who desires to consult the most minute and vivid description of the terrible events occurring at that time, will take up Sheldon's History of Deerfield.
De Vaudreuil, governor of Canada, wrote to the home gov- ernment, November 14, 1703, that he should send a strong party against the English in the spring, and gave as a reason, the desirability of keeping the Abenakis from concluding a peace with the English. He also wrote : " This obliged us, my lord, to send thither Sieur De Rouville, an officer of the line, with nearly two hundred men, who attacked a fort, in which, according to report of all the prisoners, there were more than one hundred men under arms. They took more than one hundred and fifty prisoners, including men and women, and retreated, having lost only three men and some twenty wounded."
De Rouville's force consisted of two hundred French and one hundred and forty Maquas, from Caghnawaga.
The mangled remains of the men, women and children who were butchered, and the charred and blackened corpses of those smothered in the burned houses were gathered to- gether and buried in the southeasterly part of the old grave- yard at Deerfield in the midst of
" Old warriors ! whose adored remains
In weeping vaults her hallowed earth contains,"
83
THE WINTHROP RELATION
1773, 1704]
For nearly two hundred years
" Only a mound covered with grass "
and fading tradition, marked the spot of their burial, but re- cently Messrs. George and John Sheldon have placed a mon- ument above their remains.
There have been many accounts of the massacre written, both by persons who were engaged in the fight; by those taken prisoners, and by those to whom the "redeemed cap- tives " told their story in after years. Reverend John Wil- liams' story of the " Redeemed Captive Returned To Zion," is a work of most thrilling interest.
I insert here, a statement, found among the papers of Fitz John Winthrop, at that time Governor of Connecticut, which was without doubt the official report of some Connecticut of- ficer, who had been sent up with troops for the relief of the town.
AN ACCOUNT OF YE DESTRUCTION AT DERFLD, FEBR. 29, I.703-4.
The Winthrop Manuscript, Upon ye day of ye date above sª about 2 hours before day ye French & Indian Enemy made an attaque upon Derefield, entering ye Fort with Little discovery (though it is sd ye watch shot a gun & cryed Arm' weh verry few heard) imeadiately set upon breaking open doors & windows, took ye watch & others Captive & had yir men appointed to Lead ym away, others improved in Rifleing houses of provisions, money, cloathing, drink, & packing up & sending away ; the greatest part stand- ing to their Arms, fireing houses & killing all they could yt made any resistance ; alsoe killing cattle, hogs, sheep & sake- ing & wasting all that came before ymn, Except some persons that Escaped in ye Crowds, some by Leaping out at windows & over ye fortifications. Some ran to Capt. Well (s) his Gar- rison, & some to Hatfield with Little or no cloathing on, & barefooted, weh with ye bitterness of ye season caused ym to
84
BENONI STEBBINS' DEFENCE
[1703, 1704
come of wth frozen feete, & Lye Lame of ym. One house, viz, Benoni Stebbins, they attaqued Later than some others, yt those in it were well awakened, being seven men, besides women and children, who stood stoutly to y" Armes, fireing upon ye enemy & ye enemy upon y™, causing several of ye Enemy to fall, of weh was one frentchman, a Gentileman to appearance.
Ye Enemy gave back, they strove to fire ye house, our men killed 3 or 4 Indians in their attempt, ye Enemy being numerous about ye house, powered much shot upon the house ; ye walls being filled up with brick ye force of ye shot was re- pelled, yet they killed sayd Stebbins, & wounded one man & one woman, of weh ye survives made no discovery to ye As- saillants, but with more than ordinary Couridge kept fireing, haveing powder & ball sufficient in sd house ; ye enemy be- took ymselves to the next house (the Old Indian House) &
ye Meeting house, both of wch but about 8 rod distant, or men yet plyed their business & accepting no q", though of- fered by ye Enemy, nor capitulate, but by guns, giveing little or no Respite from ye tyme they began (say some of ye men in ye house shot 40 tymes, & had fair shots at ye Enemy all the while) about an hour before day till ye Sun about one hour & half high, at wch tyme they were almost spent; yet at the verry pintch, ready to yield o" men from Hadly & Hatfield about 30 men, rushed in upon ye Enemy & made shot upon them, at wch they Quitted their Assailing ye house & ye Fort alsoe ; the house at Libertie, woemen & children ran to Capt. Wells his fort, the men wth ours still p'rsued the Enemy, all of them vigorously, causing many of ye Enemy to fall, yet being but 40 men p'rsued to farr, imprudently, not altogether for want of conduct, for Capt. Wells, who had led them, called for a retreate, which they Litle mynded, ye Enemy discovering their number haveing ambushmts of men, caused o' men to give back, though to Late, being a Mile from ye Fort ; in yir drawing of (off) & at ye Fort Lost II of o" men,
85
THE MEADOW FIGHT
1703, 1704]
viz : Sergt. Benj Waite, Sergt Samll Boltwood, & his son Robt Boltwood, Samll Foot, Samll Allis, Nath1 Warner, Jonth Ingram, Thomas Selding, David Hoite, Jos Ingersoll, & Jos Catlin, & after o' men recovered ye Fort againe, the Enemy drew of, haveing at sd house & in ye ingagmts (as is Judge by ye best calculation we can come at) Lost about 50 men, & 12 or 15 wounded (as our captive says) weh they carried of, & is thought they will not see Canada againe (& sd Captive escaped says) they, viz, the Enemy, went 6 mile that night; about midnight ye same night were gathered of or uper & Low" Towns neer about 80 men weh had thoughts with that number to have Assaulted ye Enemy that Night, but ye snow being at Least 3 foot deep & impassable without snow shoes (wch we had not a supply of ) & doubtfull whether we could attaque ym before day, being in a Capacitie to follow ym but in their path, they in a Capacitie to flank us on both sides, being fit- ted with snow shoes, & with treble o" Numb" if not more & some were much concerned for the Captives, Mr. Wms family Especially, whome ye Enemy would kill, if we come on, & it was concluded we should too much Exopse o' men.
The next day by two of the Clock Coniticut men began to come in, & came by p'tis till within Night at wch tyme we were Raised to 250 men in Deerfield, but the aforesd Objections, & the weather verry Warme, & like to be so, (&s oit was wth Raine) we Judge it impossible to travill, but as aforesd to uttermost disadvantage, Especially w" we came up to ym to an attaque, (Providence put a bar in o" way) we Judge we should Expose o'rselves to ye Loss of men and not be able, as the case was circumstanced, to offend the Enemy or Rescue or Captives, which was ye End we aimed at in all, therefore desisted, & haveing buried the dead, saved wt we could of Catt11, hogg & sheep, & Estate, out of ye spoyles of ye Remaining Inhabitants, & some of or N. H., Hadly & Hatfid men settled a Garrison of 30 men or upwards, und" Capt. Wells, & drew to of places ; of y destruction of Deerfld see more over the Leafe.
S6
THE LOSSES SUMMED UP
[1703, 1704
Then follows a schedule giving information concerning the loss of life, liberty and property, and of the remaining inhab- itants. The money value is expressed in pounds. Mr. Shel- don's figures in brackets, are corrections made on the authority of the town records, or of Rev. Stephen Williams, who was one of the captives.
FITZ JOHN WINTHROP'S TABLE OF LOSSES.
Captivitie or Burnt
Slaine
Alive at Home
Estate Lost
The Rev. Mr. John Williams
Godfrey Nims Phillip Mattoone
Benj Mun Samson Frary
Martin Kellogg Benj Burt
David Alexand'r Widow Coss [Elizabeth Corse] Mr Jno Catlin
Jos Catlin Tho: French Dan'll Belding Eben'r Werner [Warner] Sam'll Carter
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